Texas Woman Indicted on Wire Fraud and Obstruction Charges

U.S. Attorney’s Office
January 09, 2014

Eastern District of Louisiana(504) 680-3000

NEW ORLEANS—Ebony Williams White, age 33, a resident of Katy, Texas, was charged in a seven-count wire fraud and one-count obstruction indictment for wire transferring $207,135 without authorization into her personal bank account from her employer’s bank accounts, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr.

According to the indictment, White was employed by Jefferson Community Health Care Centers Inc. in Marrero, Louisiana, from February 2008 until March 2010, eventually attaining the position of chief financial officer (CFO). Once in the position of CFO, White devised a scheme to fraudulently transfer funds from her employer’s bank accounts into a separate bank account she controlled. White wire transferred the unauthorized funds to a different bank than the one she identified and used for the bi-weekly payroll checks to which she was entitled.

When White learned that federal charges against her were contemplated for the fraudulent wire transfers, she attempted to obstruct the investigation by submitting to the government a document that, if authentic, would have potentially entitled her to receive $137,000 plus bonuses for work over and above what was required of her as CFO. Other individuals allegedly authorizing the additional funds in the document provided by White denied that an agreement ever existed for White to receive any funds in addition to her bi-weekly pay check as CFO.

If convicted, White faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 160 years, a fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

U.S. Attorney Polite reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Juliana A. Etland.